The men’s Final Four field is set, featuring arguably the two best teams in the country in Arizona and Michigan, an experienced UConn team led by the best coach in the country in Dan Hurley and an Illinois team powered by future NBA draft lottery pick Keaton Wagler.
Needless to say, there will be no shortage of talent on the court at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. That got us thinking at Sports Illustrated—with so many star-laden rosters, how does each team’s starting five, and specifically the players in each starting lineup, measure up?
Factoring in overall play this season and through four tournament games, here are all 20 starting-level players in the men’s Final Four, ranked.
1. F Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan
No one in the country is playing better right now than Yaxel Lendeborg, who is averaging 21 points, 7.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists while shooting 50% from three-point range in four NCAA tournament games. Lendeborg aka Dominican LeBron, has committed just two turnovers in March Madness play. The 6’ 9” Lendeborg has been unguardable, whether he’s bulldozing his way to the rim in transition, drilling threes over smaller defenders or playing the role of point forward.
2. G Keaton Wagler, Illinois
Wagler’s length—6’ 6”—patient pace and ability to score at all three levels makes him as tough a defensive assignment as any player in the tournament. When you factor in that he’s dishing out 3.8 assists compared to 1.5 turnovers and has grabbed 6.5 rebounds per game in four tourney contests, you have a complete player. Wagler completely took over in the second half of the Elite Eight win over Iowa, something we could see once again in the Final Four against UConn.
3. C Tarris Reed Jr., UConn
Reed has been the best big man in the NCAA tournament, full stop. He carried UConn to victory against Furman with a 31-point, 27-rebound masterpiece, then provided the brunt of the offense once again for the Huskies in their thrilling Elite Eight comeback vs. Duke. Reed is a scoring technician with elite touch and footwork in the post, and a big-time rim protector on the other end.
4. G Brayden Burries, Arizona
Burries has been a lethal scorer in four NCAA tournament games, averaging 17.8 points while shooting a ridiculous 68.4% from three-point range. The freshman guard knows how to draw fouls and finish through the contact, making him a true threat to light up the scoreboard at all three levels. The 6’ 4” Burries has also crashed the glass and has been a reliable playmaker and defender for the Wildcats.
5. C Aday Mara, Michigan
The 7’ 3” Mara has mostly stayed out of foul trouble in the NCAA tournament and has been a terror in the paint on both ends, averaging 13.5 points on 63.9% shooting from the field while blocking 2.8 shots per game in four tourney wins. Mara is the anchor of Michigan’s defense and makes the Wolverines offense even more dangerous with his sneaky-good passing ability.
6. F Koa Peat, Arizona
Peat has been the primary architect behind Arizona’s all-out blitz on the paint in March Madness, as he’s been a monster on the glass with rim-rattling putbacks and an aggressor off the dribble to either finish at the rim or draw a foul. The freshman forward has notched one double-double and has enjoyed two 20-point games in four Wildcats tourney wins.
7. G Jaden Bradley, Arizona
The Big 12 Player of the Year is so popular in Tucson, Ariz., he’s receiving NBA-style “MVP” chants. Bradley has dazzled in a breakout season and shown a penchant for raising his game against quality competition; his best game of the year by Game Score was the Wildcats’ season opener against Florida. He enters Indianapolis in fine form, having racked up a combined 28 points and 11 assists against Arkansas and Purdue.
8. F Alex Karaban, UConn
The Huskies’ elder statesman endured a miserable shooting day Sunday against Duke (2-for-10, 1-for-6 from three) but made two critical plays: UConn’s second-to-last three with about a minute left and the assist on guard Braydon Mullins’ game-winning three. The two-time All-Big East selection and 13.2 point-per-game scorer has a golden opportunity to end his college career with three national championships—an achievement traditionally the domain of John Wooden-era UCLA players.
9. C Motiejus Krivas, Arizona
Wildcats coach Tommy Lloyd helped inaugurate college basketball’s 2020s international boom, and Krivas has been one of his more inspired finds. The center from Siauliai, Lithuania who has three games played in the EuroLeague to his name bounced back spectacularly from an injury-abbreviated 2025 with 10.4 points and 8.2 rebounds per game this season. By defensive win shares, he’s one of the 20 best defenders in the country and a key cog in the Arizona machine.
10. F Morez Johnson Jr., Michigan
Expect Johnson to be the center of attention if the Wolverines and Fighting Illini—both of whom are favored in their respective semifinals—wind up in the national championship. Johnson—a Chicago-area native—played for Illinois in `25 and transferred to play for Michigan in `26. Starting every game for the Wolverines this season, Johnson has averaged 13.2 points per game; recently, he jolted Michigan against Howard with 21 points on 8-for-8 shooting in the first round.
11. G Silas Demary Jr., UConn
The secondary unsung hero of the Huskies’ Elite Eight win lit UConn’s fuse by deflecting Blue Devils guard Cayden Boozer’s fateful pass in the closing seconds. The Huskies lured Demary from Georgia this offseason and he’s proven to be a quality addition at the point guard position. He’s averaged 5.9 assists per game this season, the most in the Big East; the last UConn player to lead his league in that category was guard Jalen Adams in 2016.
12. F David Mirkovic, Illinois
Mirkovic has been Illinois' second-best player this season behind the emergence of Keaton Wagler. The international freshman is averaging 13.5 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists this season on 48.7% shooting from the floor, including a 37.6% mark from three. He's shooting over 41% from beyond-the-arc in the NCAA tournament, and has been fantastic during the Illini's run to the Final Four.
13. F Ivan Kharchenkov, Arizona
Kharchenkov is one of the best two-way players in the Final Four, averaging 10.5 points per game on 49.8% shooting to go along with his stellar perimeter defense. Kharchenkov has established himself as one of the best on-ball wing defenders in the entire country, and he will need to show up both offensively and defensively in the final weekend for the 'Cats to cut down the nets.
14. G Elliot Cadeau, Michigan
Cadeau, a junior transfer from North Carolina, has been the steady veteran backcourt presence that the Wolverines needed for a run at a championship. The 6’1” point guard is averaging a career-high 10.2 points per game to go along with 5.8 assists , while converting on 41.6% of his shots from the field and a career-best 37.7% of his attempts from deep. He’s done all this while boasting a respectable 2 ½ assist-to-turnover ratio.
15. G Braylon Mullins, UConn
The freshman Elite Eight hero from Greenfield, Ind. was referred to by Dan Hurley after his game-winner vs. Duke as “one of the most brilliant shooters you’ll ever see shoot a basketball.” That’s high praise from Hurley, who has had his fair share of shotmakers during his time at UConn. Mullins has averaged 11.9 points per game on 43.4% shooting in his first season with the Huskies.
16. C Tomislav Ivisic, Illinois
One of two Ivisic contributors on the Illinois roster, Tomislav has been a mainstay in the frontcourt for the Illini. The 7’1” Ivisic is averaging 10.2 points and 5.6 rebounds this season, and isn’t afraid to stretch the floor with his outside shooting, making him a difficult cover. He’s converted on 31.4% of his threes this season, and while not spectacular, it’s respectable enough at 7’ 1” to make him a threat from the outside. He’s not an elite shot blocker defensively given his size, but his offensive game has helped power Illinois this season.
17. G Kylan Boswell, Illinois
Boswell is one of the best perimeter defenders in the Big Ten, but the veteran isn’t just a stout defender—he’s a reliable presence offensively, too. Boswell has averaged 12.5 points per game on 45% shooting this season, and is capable of giving the Illini an offensive burst when needed. Otherwise, his elite on-ball defense is as steady as it comes.
18. G Solo Ball, UConn
While his defense can be a bit of a rollercoaster ride, Solo Ball’s offensive ability is unquestioned. Ball has not shot the ball great from three this year, but despite his 29.2% shooting from the perimeter, the junior has managed to shoot 39% overall thanks to a 54.6% mark from two. He averages 12.9 points per game as a key member of the Huskies’ backcourt.
19. G Nimari Burnett, Michigan
The sixth-year senior is a rangy perimeter defender who can really get it going from deep to take Michigan’s offense to another level. While he may not be playing quite as many minutes for the Wolverines as a season ago, his 46% shooting from the floor overall and his 38.1% shooting from three make him a serious threat offensively whenever he is in the lineup.
20. F Jake Davis, Illinois
The McCordsville, Ind. native—a graduate of Cathedral High School in Indianapolis—is playing in front of a home crowd at the Final Four. And while he may be ranked last on this list, his impact as a glue guy for Illinois all season long has been palpable. Davis is one of the Illini’s best defenders, and that has found him plenty of playing time on a loaded roster. Davis has been praised by Brad Underwood for his improvement defensively, including his communication on that end of the floor that has been instrumental for Illinois. In addition, he’s a knockdown shooter, making nearly 41% of his three-point attempts this season while shooting 43.2% from the floor overall.
Crafting a Super Starting Five Out of Final Four Starters
But wait, there’s more. Why stop at simply ranking the players 1-20? Why not make a super starting five out of the very best starting-caliber players in the men’s Final Four? We took a swing at it and here’s where we ended up, with our rationale explained.
| Position | Player Name | Height/Weight | Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guard | Brayden Burries (Arizona) | 6'4", 205 pounds | 16.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 2.5 apg. 50.0% FG, 40.2% 3 pt. FG |
| Guard | Keaton Wagler (Illinois) | 6' 6", 180 pounds | 17.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 4.3 apg. 44.5% FG, 40.7% 3 pt. FG |
| Forward | Yaxel Lendeborg (Michigan) | 6' 9", 240 pounds | 15.2 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 3.3 apg. 52.0% FG, 37.2% 3 pt. FG |
| Forward | Koa Peat (Arizona) | 6'8", 235 pounds | 14.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.7 apg. 53.7% FG, 31.6% 3 pt. FG |
| Center | Tarris Reed Jr. (UConn) | 6' 11", 265 pounds | 14.7 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 2.4 apg. 62.1% FG |
Lendeborg, Wagler and Reed have simply been the three best players in the tournament, and therefore, lineup locks for the super starting five. In this trio, we have elite scoring, strong rebounding and a stout defense. Wagler and Lendeborg also give us a good start in the three-point shooting department. And in Lendeborg and Reed, we have the necessary muscle to protect the paint.
That left the remaining two spots up for grabs. Brayden Burries and Koa Peat from Arizona both get the slight edge over teammate Jaden Bradley and UConn veteran wing Alex Karaban, but we'll hear arguments for any of those four for the final two spots. Ultimately, Burries's playmaking ability all season long earned him the nod, while Peat's rebounding and athleticism add to the frontcourt flexibility of this five-man lineup.
More March Madness From Sports Illustrated
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- March Madness: Three Bold Predictions for Men’s Final Four
- South Carolina vs. UConn Prediction, Odds, Key Player for Women’s NCAA Tournament Final Four
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Ranking All 20 Starters Heading Into the Men’s Final Four.
